Mrs. Templeton's Secrets

"Breast, no legs, not sure, both, I like both the same."

"Only uncle John has ever seen my breasts and now you have but you mustn't tell anyone."

He nodded his head, "promise - cross my heart and hope to die."

"Where are you, Nancy?"

They both jumped. Joan was in the kitchen and must have walked past the parlour when she had her breast on display and skirt up. If she'd opened the door, she'd have seen it all. Nancy was mortified, she had forgotten to lock the door. "We're in the parlour talking about the garden. Put the kettle on and I'll be out in a minute. Phil is just finishing telling me what else he needs to order." This was far too close for comfort. If she was to go further, she'd have to be far more vigilant and questioned herself if she was in her right mind. The scandal would engulf her and she'd be a walking pariah for the rest of her life for displaying her wares to her best friend's son while her husband was ill in bed.

Phil walked out first followed by Nancy, he pecked her and his mother on the cheek and said to let him know when all the materials were delivered and he was gone. Another unplanned test he'd passed, reinforcing Nancy's belief he could be discrete but she was shaken. It was a matter of luck they hadn't been caught, taking the gloss off the thrill she felt when she saw how he responded. "Phil's a good boy and so helpful to John and myself."

"He's a little down at the moment, his girlfriend doesn't want to see him anymore."

"He's young and will soon bounce back."

"Yes. Anyway, I think David has an inkling something is going on with Winifred and Daisy."

"Spill the dirt, girl," Nancy's near-miss of exposure receding as Joan was about to disclose another revelation.

"Last night, when David was down the pub, Dale was there and as usual, he was three sheets to the wind. He said he thinks Winifred is stepping out on him."

"How did David manage to get there?"

"Two of his friends called around and wheeled him, he had his oxygen mask with him so I wasn't worried, now let me get on with it. Dale came home from work and found the house empty. You know Dale, he always likes his food on the table as he comes through the door and went looking for her in a temper. He knew she was spending a lot of time with Daisy and, when he went around the back of her house, the door was locked. Winifred had told him on several occasions, Daisy always left her backdoor open for visitors to just shout and walk in. He listened and could hear noises coming from the open bedroom window. He couldn't make out the words but knew Winifred and Daisy's voices and he also hear a man's voice. Two women and a man in Daisy's bedroom, no one needs to stretch their imagination to know what it meant. What would you think?" Joan was getting increasingly excited as she related the story.

"I'd think the same as you."

"He threw a stone at the window breaking the glass and shouted for her to come down and open the door or he'd break it down. When there was no reply, he shouldered the door and rushed inside but the three had gone out the front door. From what I can gather, Winifred and Daisy were partly dressed and ran into number 92, you know, widow Stoney's house. Anthony, wearing only his trousers, ran down the street and was soon away, leaving the two women to face the music."

"They've been married a long time, do you think he'll forgive her?"

"That's the strange part, Dale went home and twenty minutes later Winifred arrived and when Dale confronted her she said she and Daisy had been with widow Stoney all afternoon. He checked with widow Stoney who confirmed Winifred and Daisy never left the house and hadn't long gone home. He knew she was lying but couldn't prove it. The next thing, the police called accusing him of causing damage to Daisy's window and backdoor and if he didn't fix it, he'd be charged with an offence."

"Sad, you'd think she'd have more sense playing around behind her husband's back," oblivious to the hypocrisy of her words. "Will he divorce her?"

"I haven't heard anything. She's telling everyone she's innocent and she can't understand why Dale is being so spiteful towards her."

"Does he know it's Anthony?"

"Everyone is keeping their mouth shut. He does suspect and went to see him but he said after he finished his shift, he was playing cards, five of his friends backing him, confirming he was with them and never left the game."

"Best if Dale sweeps it under the table, keep away from the pub, work less overtime and stay at home."

"Dale needs Winifred more than she needs him. This could be the push he needs to change."

"You've got to admit, it's one hell of a wakeup call." Both burst into laughter. "Our husband's need us more than we need them what a sobering thought."

"Debatable, I need what David used to give me. I do miss it but I daren't show him. Each time I see a good looking man, I can't help but wonder what he'd be like in bed. I get so horny, I wake up sometimes in the middle of the night sweating and quietly sort myself out but it's a poor substitute for the real thing."

You wouldn't dream of doing what those two were doing with Anthony, would you?"

"Of course I wouldn't."

"Glad to hear it."

"Absolutely, I'd want him all for myself."

They couldn't stop laughing until John banged on the bedroom floor, shouting he wanted to come down and to keep the noise down before the neighbours complained. They both helped him down the stairs and the three of them chatted until Joan left. Getting John back to bed by herself was difficult but she'd done it many times and had learned the easiest way to handle it, but it was still a strain. Throughout their marriage, John had always been the one in charge, he made all the major decisions, decided what clothes she wore, how he liked her hair, what was the best food to purchase and what meals to cook on what days.

Nancy didn't mind, gladly leaving all major decisions to him never questioning his judgement. She was happy and he looked after her well, strict but always kind. A good husband and father always putting them first but everything had to be his way. Her sex life was tame but she knew no different so it didn't matter, believing it normal. Hearing gossip from other women did make her wonder but placed a lot of it in the realms of wishful thinking, never believing some of the things other women said they did with their husbands. Since John had been ill, she'd taken over the responsibly of running the home. At first, she found it daunting but eventually, with planning and dedication, came to like the extra responsibility, even relishing in her newfound power, questioning why she hadn't played a greater part in decision making before and started to change, becoming a little more dominant with John. Leading her to question her role in the marriage and their sex life. The more she questioned, the more discontented she became. There was a lot more to living and life than what she'd experienced. She had her own opinions but never expressed them, always agreeing with John's. The same with sex, she'd lay down, open her legs, John would do his bit then roll over and go to sleep. He was a one position lover. She'd try to experiment but he didn't even like to see her active, preferring her to be passive throughout their coupling and would get upset if she became too vocal or animated or try anything different to what he considered proper married sex.

Nancy's newfound power brought her past behaviour and John's dominance to the forefront of her mind and she began taking notice of what other women were telling her about their sex lives. After the incident with the library books, she started to read about sex but her discontent had been there for a while. She listened to what others were saying as they gossiped about themselves and read voraciously, realising how repressive John was, not just with sex, but with everything. She enjoyed letting go and being naughty with Phil. Growing to understand, provided both parties agreed, the sexual repertoire could be endless and it had passed her by without her knowing what enjoyment there was in wild abandoned sex with a partner who felt the same way.

She was getting a little more daring with Phil and wanted it all. The thought of being in charge, controlling his actions, using her body to tease and titillate excited her to distraction. The danger was there but that only channelled her to greater excitement, adding a new layer of self-indulgence to her already sexual psyche. She loved John irrevocably, that she never questioned until now, but this new power was eating into her. The more she thought, the greater it grew. The seed had been planted and watered and there was no way to stop it growing. What she had to decide was how far to go and stay safe. The game has started and she was already well on her way to seducing Phil but the parlour incident, when she was nearly discovered by Joan, must not be allowed to happen again.

She wasn't too worried about John. When he was in the bedroom, he would never risk coming down the stairs without help. The noise Phil made when she showed him her breasts would pose a problem but felt she could handle it. The real danger lay in someone walking in on them, especially his mother. She could lock the door but if they were both naked, any delay would surely raise suspicion, especially with what had happened with Dale and Winifred. Daisy wasn't that bothered, she only had to be accountable to herself; most of the women, while criticising her, rather admired her and wished it were them.

To do anything outside the house would be impossible. She never went anywhere and to book a hotel was out of the question. On the plus side, Phil coming back and forth would pose no problem. He was helping them, doing odd jobs around the house and in the garden and building the garden shed. He could spread the job over the summer and no one would suspect. She'd already tested Phil's discretion and felt he could be trusted, but showing him her legs and breast was a long way from where she wanted to lead him and would do it one careful step at a time, gauging his reaction before taking the final step.

That night, while in bed, she knew how to close the danger. The following morning, when Joan called around, Nancy said she'd heard there had been a few burglaries in the next village and feared they could be next. The fair was due in a few weeks and there were always a few undesirables who could cause trouble and asked for her thoughts. The answer was obvious and it was soon out that everyone should start locking their doors in the day and definitely at night. Nancy was now ready to take her next step into her sexual awakening and didn't have to wait long.

John was seated in the kitchen, his oxygen cylinder resting by the side of the chair, the mask draped over it. The weather was getting warmer and the last two days had seen an improvement in his breathing and he was looking forward to the light summer nights. Phil called around while Nancy was upstairs changing the sheets and tidying the bedroom. He sat with John in the kitchen discussing plans for the shed, asking if he was in agreement with his ideas, or did he want to change anything. If so, say before he started.

Joan came looking for Nancy and joined her upstairs for a natter but didn't stay long, reminding her she was to lock her doors at night and should lock them in the day as she just walked in through the backdoor. Nancy started the rumour and it developed into a full-blown must do, and gave herself a congratulatory smile. When she entered the kitchen, John and Phil were busy discussing how the garden shed would look and she made tea with a few chocolate biscuits. Eating them started John on another coughing fit and Nancy handed him his mask. He stayed that way for ten minutes then asked to go to bed.

Back in the kitchen, Phil said he was worried for uncle John and asked if anything more could be done to make him better. He would never go down the pit. Nancy agreed and wished John would have found a different job when they were married first but that meant enlisting into the army to fight and they all knew how that went.

"Anyway, have you heard any more from that girl?"

"No, and I don't want to, even if she came begging. I don't even like her anymore."

"I must apologise. I hope you're not annoyed with me for showing you my breast. I shouldn't have done it, I know it made you uncomfortable, but in my defence, you were so down, I didn't know what else to do to make you happy, and with your mother almost catching us, I felt awful. Can you forgive me? I know I embarrassed you and I'm sorry."

"I'm glad you showed me. I threw that picture away after seeing your breast. Yours is ten times better."

"I'm so glad you like it, I was afraid you'd think it was too big and with my nipple being as large as it was, you'd take offence."

"I like it a lot, the best birthday present I've ever had, and I like your legs just as much. I could watch them all day."

"Would you like to see them again?"

He nodded his head.

"One moment, let me go and lock the back and front doors. Go into the parlour but you must be quiet."

Phil was sitting on the settee when she came into the room. Closing the parlour door, she stood in front of him and lifted up her skirt, turned around a few times, dropped it and sat facing him in a chair. "Would you like to see my two breasts at the same time?"

"I'd like that very much."

"Remember, no shouting. She lifted up her jumper and sat back, having taken off her brassiere earlier. Looking at his face had her so aroused her nipples were already hard and she could feel her stomach cramp as her body throbbed with excitement but needed to keep herself in check. "They are heavy," cupping them with her hands and moving them up and down.

Phil stared without saying a word.

"Well, say something. I didn't tell you not to speak but keep your voice low. Let me pull my skirt up as well so you can see everything at the same time." She lifted her skirt and played with her nipples."

"Aunty Nancy, they look so hard."

"When exposed to the air, they go like that sometimes," partly true, but they were hard from sexual excitement.

Phil made no pretence of hiding his erection and started to rub himself, so keyed up he couldn't stop.

"What are you doing? She teased.

"Nothing," he blushed, immediately stopping.

"Uncle John wouldn't like me sitting here like this. Take a last look, pulling down her jumper and skirt.

"You did say I can ask to see your legs anytime. Can I ask to see your breasts as well," quickly adding, "only when no one else is around."

"You are a wicked boy, Phil. If your mother and uncle John knew you liked looking at my breast and legs..."

"She won't nor will uncle John, you said it is our secret."

"All you have to do is ask and if it's safe, I'll show them to you." She was enjoying the control she had over him, this was all new to her. "Uncle John is the only one who has ever seen and touched them. If you're a good boy, one day I may let you touch them as well." The excitement in his eyes enthralled her, sending her libido into the stratosphere but she needed to stay calm. This was her game and she'd play it her way and in her own timeframe.

"Would you really, I'll do whatever you want, aunty Nancy. I was good and stayed quiet as you said."

"So you were, thank you and you'll be rewarded but not today, that'll be for next time when we can make another little secret. You'd better be on your way so you can do something about that," pointing at his trousers, the outline of his erection clearly visible.

His face reddened. "I didn't mean it to happen," and rushed through the door.

After she heard the front door close, she burst into laughter, closed her eyes and thought about him sitting on the toilet frantically pulling on himself and was soon be doing the same. No one called around for the next two days but she did go shopping and called in to see her sister, Mary, who continually moaned about her husband. She'd also married young, her husband was eighteen years older than she and another friend of their father. She didn't have children and he blamed her but when she went to see the doctor her tests proved she was fertile but he still insisted it was her fault and refused to be tested. His six pastimes were eating, sleeping, listening to the radio, sitting on the toilet reading the paper, work and pub. He also had black lung disease. As yet he didn't need oxygen but was always short of breath so their love life had stopped six months ago and it hadn't been much better for the last two years and he was in the same mould as John always complaining about something. Nancy and Mary were never close and even though she lived only two miles away, they only met a few times a year and she only called to ask about their parent's headstone. It needed to be cleaned and it was Mary's turn but Nancy suspected it would eventually fall to her to do it.

Nancy concluded her village was full of frustrated widows and even those who had husbands didn't fare better. Their needs were there but the source to supply that need, in the majority of cases, had gone.

Phil came round a few times and spent his time in the garden, John sitting outside in the shade watching him work. With the warmer weather, he'd taken a turn for the better and hadn't used his oxygen for the last five days. Nancy's heart jumped with happiness when she looked at him and hoped it was a prediction of better days and his health would continue to improve. Despite what she felt toward him, she had no intention of stopping her march into the unknown. The heights she experienced with Phil was getting stronger with each passing day but the better her husband felt, the less chance she had to live them out; a dichotomy of opposing values, still, on balance, she'd rather see John like he was now rather than morose and depressed, breathing through his mask. She knew Phil was waiting for the opportunity after she caught him frequently looking at her. No woman could mistake that look, but with John continually in the picture, they could do nothing to make more secrets.

Opportunity comes in strange ways. Two of John's friends called around saying they were going to the pub later and, with him feeling better, insisted he join them. Early evening, they collected him and said they'd bring him back around ten. Phil was still in the garden working, wearing only a pair of shorts.

Nancy waited a few minutes, checked to see they were out of sight, placed the latch on the front door, changed into a long blue skirt with a white buttoned top, leaving her brassiere and panties off and called Phil to come into the house for a cup of tea and something to eat. He washed in the sink, put his shirt on and sat at the table.

"You've worked hard in the garden. John has gone down the pub with some of his mates and won't be back for a few hours," and smiled. "You must ask."

His eyes brightened. "Can I see your legs and breasts, please, aunty Nancy?"

"You'll have a hard job seeing my legs with them under the table. Finish your food and we'll go into the parlour and I'll see what I can do."

His tea and food were soon gone. She locked the backdoor and they went into the parlour. Taking a seat opposite him, she crossed her legs and lifted up her skirt, showing him the tip of her pubic hairs and undid her buttons down the front of her blouse and opened it. "You can now have a proper look. After you saw me last time, where did you go afterward?"

"I went straight home, aunty Nancy."

"And..." she goaded, lifting up her breasts, feeling her nipples at the same time. "What did you do when you first got home?"

He knew to what she referred. "Please, aunty Nancy."